Steel railway-tie.



PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

V. G. HUTCHINS.

STEEL RAILWAY TIE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1906.

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No. 852,437. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907. v. o. HUTGHINS.

' STEEL RAILWAY TIE. v APPL'IOATION FILED MAY 19, 1906.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907.

Application filed May 19,1906. Serial No. 317,764.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VERNON O. HU'rcrIINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Falls Creek, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Steel Railroad- Tie, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a metal railroad tie and has for its object a tie which will be durable and at the same time, of an elastic nature, thereby prolonging the life of the tie by so constructing it that it can give slightly to the pressure placed upon it.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a support for the rail arranged within the tie and which will limit the movement of the tie under pressure, and thereby overcome the objection Which would lie against the spring metal tie unprovided with a solid support.

The invention consists in a hollow spring tie, longitudinally split upon its upper face, and a supporting frame secured within the tie, immediately beneath the rails, and spaced slightly from the top of the tie, thereby permitting the tie to spring or give to a certain extent and preventing the tie from bending inwardly to a greater extent than might be safe or desirable.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one of the ties in position. Fig. 2 is a plan of the blank from which the tie is formed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the tie, a portion being broken out. Fig. 4 is a transverse section, taken on a line with the rail, the rail being omitted. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the supporting frame, Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a locking key.

In these drawings A represents the tie which consists of a single piece of spring metal provided with a bottom portion A, sides A top portions A and end portions A which are integral with the bottom portion A.

In forming the tie the sides A are bent upwardly and the top portion A are bent over toward each other the said top portions being integral with opposite sides of the tie. These top portions are spaced slightly apart thereby leavin a longitudinal slot extending lengthwise aIong the upper face of the tie and half way between the sides. These top portions incline slightly upwardly and inwardly so that the margins of the slot are slightly higher than the sides of the tie. The end portions A are also bent upwardly but are of a slightly less height than the sides and consequently stop short of the top portions thereby allowing the same to spring under the weight of a train. The top portions A are transversely grooved as shown at A to provide a seat or ch air for the rails and hand holes are formed in the ends A, as shown at A.

A supporting frame B, is preferably rectangular in shape and is split along its lower side as shown at B. The top of this frame is very slightly arched and it is about the width of an ordinary rail, and one of these frames is transversely arranged within the tie immediately beneath one of the grooves A. The frames B rest upon the bottom of the tie and are secured to the tie by suitable bolts C which pass through the side members of the frame B and through the sides A of the tie.

The frame is of less height than the interior height of the tie so that the upper arched member of the frame is slightly below the top portions of the tie. This permits these portions to bend downwardly under a heavy weight a certain distance, the tie being prevented from giving too much by reason of the frame B as the top portions A will bear upon the top members of the frames B, when forced doiimwardly a distance equal to the differenee in height above referred to. The rails are secured in place by means of spikes D having the usual shaped head but threaded below the head and squared at their lower ends, the threaded portions fitting in suitable threaded apertures, formed in the top of the tie, the lower squared portion extending within the tie. I also provide a locking key D having a bifurcated portion which engages the head of the spike D, and prevents the same from turning. The locking key D is secured to the tie by a bolt E, which is also provided with a lower squared end E, which extends within the tie. By means of this construction if either the spike D or the bolt E, becomes broken they can readily be removed by engaging the squared end portions with a wrench which can be operated through the hand hole A adjacent the said spike or bolt.

Angled plates F, are bolted upon the under side of the tie, and by extending into the earth or ballast, serve to prevent longitudinal movement or creeping of the tie.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A spring metal tie consisting of a hollow casing having bent up end portions of less height than the sides of the tie, the said tie being longitudinally split, along its top face.

2. The combination with a hollow spring metal tie, longitudinally split along its upper face, and supporting frames arranged transversely within the tie, the upper face of said frames being spaced slightly from the top of the tie.

3. A hollow spring metal tie having end portions integral with the bottom of the tie and bent upwardly to partially close the ends of the tie, the top of the tie being longitudinally slotted, the said end portions ter- Ininating short of the top of the tie, and frames secured within the tie and spaced from the top.

4. A hollow tie provided with hand holes,

reach of the said hand holes, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A tie of the kind described formed of a single piece of spring metal and having a bottom portion, side portions, end portions, carried by the ends of the bottom portion top portions, integral respectively, with the side portions, the said top portions being bent over toward each other, and slightly spaced apart, the end portion being bent upwardly and terminating short of the top portions,

and frames arranged transversely within the tie and spaced from the said top portions.

VERNON C. HUTOHINS. WVitnesses:

J. P. TAYLOR, J. J. SOI-INELL. 

